Illustrated
Guide to Astronomical Wonders
Reviewed
by Dr Eric Flescher
Authors: Robert Bruce Thompson & Barbara Fritchman
O’Reilly
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/9780596526856/index.html
Released: October 31, 2007
Pages: 519
$30 USD, $36 CND
ISBN-10: 0596526857
ISBN-13: 978-0596526856
Novice/Intermediate/Advanced
Strengths: One of the authors is involved in the
Astronomical League and to his credit, he includes information about the
different awards available through the club. Also included is the website to
more Astronomical League information. Well laid out information. Good
information about telescopes and equipment, disadvtanges and advantages.
Constellation pages includes historical information and helps guide the user
through finding easier objects first and working the way to more difficult
ones. |
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Weaknesses: The authors only mention 5 of the Club award
levels for the Astronomical League. An explanation about the other clubs or
making sure to take a look at them at the League’s website would have been
helpful and instructive. The print seems awfully small to me, but that's
about it. Should have included more information about astronomy clubs in
general and how to better use the Astronomical League. Information about
meteors, comets, eclipses and other phenomenon are not included.
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Introduction
The Internet was not around when I was growing up. I
relied on encyclopedias and other resources to start and then expand my
discovery and exploration of the astronomical wonders of the heavens. Today we
have the internet, software that mimics, on our computer desktops, powerful
planetariums. Also available are many online resources for the Internet in the
way of websites, videos, images and much more.
Books still have their place and
it was of interest that I found the book Illustrated Guide to Astronomical
Wonders. I wanted to find out whether it had astronomical resources and
information that would be helpful to amateur astronomers (novice to advanced)
and possibly provide enrichment beyond a book.
I found that the authors (at least one of them) are
involved with astronomy. Robert Bruce Thompson is a coauthor of Astronomy
Hacks, Building the Perfect PC, and PC Hardware in a Nutshell and works nights
with his 10-inch Dobsonian reflector telescope. Barbara Fritchman Thompson is
the coauthor of Astronomy Hacks, Building the Perfect PC, and PC Hardware in a
Nutshell and has worked as a librarian and now has her own home-based consulting
law practice.
The constellations are black and white photos. However
not seeing some of the colors regarding nebula, galaxies is a missing point.
There are no Hubble images and additional images. The book consists of a
Preface, Introduction to DSO (Deep Sky Objects) Observing and Observing
equipment. It is followed by a constellation guide and a nice index.
The introduction to observing is a very nice section.
Readers will learn about double stars, magnitude, measuring, degrees,
declination and right ascension. There is a good introduction to (commercial
only) planetarium software (p.18). This includes the names for software that
are found on PDAs, for Windows, Macintosh and Linux. There is also a listing of
the Greek alphabet, star and celestial object catalog. There is basic
information about open clusters, globular clusters, four different types of
nebula, supernova remnants, galaxies. Organizing your observing activities
includes information about the Astronomical League six of the League’s clubs.
There is a nice section (pages 32-33) that explains
finding objects, working ahead and working with the tougher situations and
objects to view in the “constellation pages”. Ordering the observing assists
with finding the objects during the best times of the year.
The constellation pages include a nice set of tables
that highlight the best objects to see in each constellation sector of the sky.
The object, type of object, magnitude, size, position in the sky (right
ascension and declination), whether the objects can be found in the different
AL observing awards and notes. A difficulty rating for finding objects is a
nice touch and can help anyone amateur.
The observing equipment is well done. For anyone who
may be interested in purchasing a telescope or appropriate equipment has photos
and tells the disadvantages and advantages of different system. There is
additional information about red flashlights, eyepieces, filters, observing
chair equipment.
Planetarium software is also found past page 55. Printing
charts, finding and using atlases has a nice section. There is even a page
(p.63) with information about where to find and purchase equipment and also
includes websites.
Conclusion
This book is certainly more focused and has quite a
variety of more information related finding constellations then I had when I
was young. Like the first book I used in elementary school days, that book
mostly included constellations like this one. This one has more well laid and
included different ways to acquire additional levels of information about the
celestial objects.
If you want a general overview of the sky and learning
about Astronomy as well as gaining additional information about software,
hardware and telescopes, this is “a one stop shopping place”. It might be the
next best thing to going to your local astronomy club, of which there are many.
I learned a lot from the astronomy clubs in Rhode Island that I worked with
before I came to the high school level.
Unfortunately, while the authors
mention the Astronomical League, they don’t mention the benefits of searching
and finding a local club near you. A few sentences would have been good
concerning this.
The title of the book includes “astronomical wonders”.
There are other wonders but these are not listed (eclipses, meteors and more).
A major portion of the book included what is found in
the regions around the constellations.” However in many cases today, I could
use planetarium software to find that same information. What is nice for some
amateurs is that the information is all laid out for you on pages. For some,
this book is more helpful a guide because all the information is nicely laid
out right “between the pages”. But there are some nice websites on the Internet
that offer what this book offers plus includes color, videos, additional
photos. However they are not contained like a physical book which is has
advantages and disadvantages. This book of course can be used with these other
resources you read it. But fortunately the information on each “constellation
page ” tells more then just the objects, magnitude and more. Historical data
and the way to discover the astronomical objects (by being walked through by
the authors), helps to guide the learning process versus finding out all the
information yourself. In that way the “Guide” helps with the learning process.
Before buying this book, I would suggest contacting
your local star club, the Astronomical League and/or search out and read the
host of wonderful astronomical websites (which are not mentioned in the text at
all). The bottom line is whether you want to spend the money for this book and
whether it offers the knowledge you want to learn. Depends what you want to do
first.
For the most part, the book has a lot going for it. I
would recommend this book for the novice (possibly intermediate) amateur
astronomers. Those who are starting out with the hobby may find it a good
resource. Amateurs, hobbyists, students and teachers who want a general
overview of equipment, telescopes, celestial objects (their history, the
astronomers of the past and more beyond the celestial objects themselves) may
find it worth their while. It would be a good resource to use as you sit with
your telescope and try to explore the heavens.
For some, having all your want in one place is a good
thing. Sometimes all one need to get started is an all in one guide and this
“Guide” may be the one you are looking for. If you would rather use your
planetarium programs, clubs and Astronomical League as the prime resource that
is another way. Then you can decide whether this book might be a good resource
for additional astronomical discovery.
